Halversen Happenings

What I Know For Sure...

2008-12-01T11:23:00.006-06:00

Thanksgiving is still my favorite holiday. The obvious reason is the food. I love all the traditional Thanksgiving food and the wonderful smell it brings to our home. The first thing I do when I wake up (which is hours before the rest of my family) is start a pot of wassail. Traditionally wassail has alcohol in it and was used to toast good fortune. Ours is pretty much just hot apple cider. Actually, it's the best hot apple cider and in my opinion, Thanksgiving is the perfect time to toast good fortune. It's a recipe that's been in my mom's family for... I'm not sure how long? When the turkey starts cooking in the oven, the smell just gets better. At the end of the night, the warm pumpkin pie, or pumpkin pie cake at our house, finishes the day of good food and good smells perfectly.

I also love the fact that Thanksgiving isn't so commercialized like other holidays. As soon as Halloween is over the Christmas merchandise goes out. Don't get me wrong, I love all the Halloween and Christmas fluff. I think all the movies and merchandise that go along with the holidays are great fun for everyone. At the same time, I love that Thanksgiving doesn't have all the "fluff". It's about something simple and simply wonderful --gratitude. We always put out our Christmas decorations the weekend after Thanksgiving while our hearts are in that special place. That makes me love Thanksgiving even more.

Some of the things I am thankful for this year ~
* Ron, for being mine.
* Reily, for being such a good example to all of us.
* Jacklyn, for showing me how to be strong and positive through a horrible accident. You never stopped smiling!
* Jim, for being such a great brother, son, husband and father at a time when it would be hard for most people to see past themselves.
* Jennifer, for being my sister and my best friend...always.
* Jason, for always being there for ALL your family. I know that all I have to do is pick up the phone. I'm sure our whole family feels the same way!
* Jon, for calling me because I get busy and things slip my mind. I miss living close to you and your phone calls really help...and your silly text messages.
* April, for being there for Mom and helping her when she needs it.
* Mom, for loving your children and grandchildren and being so involved in all our lives. I love that my kids will text you and you text them back. Thank you for getting on me when I slack on blogging. Not only does it get me going, it shows me how much you care about me and my family.
* Paul & Jackie, for raising a son who works so hard at everything he does. I've seen many times where he's learned that and it's made him the wonderful husband and father he is today.
* Grandma Halversen, for loving all of your very large family and teaching us that we are only as old as we choose to be.
* I am also thankful for all my friends and all the ways we can keep in touch. Maybe one day we all will have blogs ;)

This was our first Thanksgiving without family or friends. At first I was sad about this, but I quickly realized that it was perfect. Not that I wouldn't have welcomed the company of family or friends, I just loved being with Ron, Reily and Jacklyn...in our pajamas and on only our time schedule. One more thing to add to my 2008 list --- I'm thankful for pajamas that can double as "lounge wear".

Jacklyn's Birthday

2008-11-27T11:01:00.015-06:00

Saturday was Jacklyn's 12th birthday. Friday, the 21st, we threw her a surprise party and boy was she surprised! It was tricky, but I was able to get a hold of her friends without her knowing and no one blew the surprise. Jacklyn went home with her friends Ally and Karley after school. Meanwhile, Natalie, Maddy, Sterling, Alyssa, Nikki, Lula, Shelby, Lana, Christie, Andie, Jake and Reily (I know, long list, but this is my scrapbook/journal) all gathered at the house for the surprise. All the girls stood on the stairs in the entry while Reily and Andie readied themselves with confetti and poppers. Jacklyn's reaction as she walked into the house was great. She was so surprised and happy that she had to hug everyone individually after the group hug.

The girls painted ceramic picture holders, dressed up and took pictures together with disposable cameras. It was fun to see their crazy outfits and posses. After they finished painting, they sang karaoke in their fabulous outfits. Reily and Jake were great sports to sing the guys parts in any songs that had it. Jacklyn sang the song "Beautiful" by Christina Aguillera for all of her friends and it was beautiful!

At the end of the night, the girls made their own ice cream sundaes and we had cake. The girls asked if it was okay to push Jacklyn's face in her cake....since they asked so nicely I couldn't refuse. The cake was yummy red velvet, which has become Jacklyn's favorite since moving to the south. The party was a huge success!

Three of Jacklyn's friends spent the night. Ron made a big breakfast in the morning and then two of the girls went to Reily's lacrosse game with us. Later that night we went to a friend's wedding. The celebrating lasted for two days and Jacklyn deserved every minute of it! Jacklyn is growing up so fast. She is such a smart, beautiful, kind, generous, loving girl and I am so grateful to have her as my daughter. I love you Jacklyn!

Reily's Busy Life

2008-11-14T14:09:00.020-06:00

As you already know, Reily is playing lacrosse. He loves it and it's proving to be a great sport for him. Sports are a HUGE deal in Texas! They play hard and practice even harder. The official lacrosse season doesn't start until the beginning of next year, but practices started over the summer. Once school started, it all intensified with practices three times a week for two to two and a half hours each time. The boys are also "encouraged" to practice at a sports training center every Thursday night for two plus hours. We've also started scrimmage games (which last three to four hours) and after the holidays, practices will be four to five times a week.

Reily also had his first Homecoming. I found myself startled now and then as we prepared for it all. I'm still not use to having a child in high school and now he was going to Homecoming...crazy! What was even more startling and way crazier is the "Texas Homecoming Mums". This is a tradition here in Texas and like sports, it's a huge deal. The mums need to be big and fancy and they are bought or made by the mother of the boy. The girls wear the mums pinned to their shirts all day at school and then that night at the football game. Some pin them to their dresses the next night for the dance. Luckily, the girls in Reily's group didn't want them. If the girl Reily takes next year wants one, I'll know what to do now. I'd never seen or heard of such a thing. Anyway, these mums taught me that everything really is bigger in Texas!

Reily has also continued with choir and was chosen to sing in the Honors Choir for the Texas Music Educator's Region 26 Concert. This is an audition choir made up of students from all the high schools in our region. Last year, I believe I counted 25-30 schools in our region. The kids and directors practice all day together for the first time and then perform that same night. At the practice, Reily was chosen to sing in the Mixed Men's Choir as well. This was exciting because the director of that choir has incredible credentials. He's worked with artists from the Metropolitan Opera and Tony award winners. Also, his Conservatory Chamber Choir performed a concert tour of China as part of the opening celebration of the 2008 Beijing Olympics. This was a wonderful opportunity and experience for Reily! Here's a picture of Reily and his friend Amanda after the concert--

Happy Birthday Reily!

2008-10-12T17:32:00.010-05:00

Last night Reily had a party with his good friend Andie who turns fifteen tomorrow. Months ago, when they realized they were only a day apart, they planned to have their birthday parties together. We hosted the party at our house and had about 25 teenagers here along with Andie's parents. Because their birthdays are in October, they decided to have a costume party. They ate tons of food, sang karaoke (all but five of the kids sing in the choir) and played games. It was so much fun!

I can't believe it's been fifteen years! Reily is such a wonderful son and I am blessed to be his mother. I love you Reily!!!

Playing catch up and apologizing...again.

2008-09-29T13:30:00.019-05:00

So again, I'm a bad blogger because I've broken the first and most important rule of blogging....NOT BLOGGING. Saying I've been busy isn't really an excuse, because it gives you lots to blog about, especially when your blog is your journal/scrapbook. So, here are some of the things we've been busy with. I'm hoping that including photos will buy me some forgiveness.

First, we got a fish tank...yeah!? As most of you know, we're not a cat or dog family. We love them, but we love breathing more. For me, it's an occasional runny nose and itchy eyes. Reily does great with both cats and dogs. Ron and Jacklyn however don't do so well. So, after Jacklyn came to us very distraught because she doesn't have a pet "like everyone else", we went and bought this. It's not a very good picture (you can't even see the fish), but you get the idea.

Jacklyn had her first school dance. They originally had a sixth grade only dance planned, but with hurricane Ike (something I should have blogged about), it was cancelled. This was an all school dance which meant sixth, seventh and eighth graders. We were just a little anxious;). Jacklyn went to the dance with her good friends Ally and Karly. She had a great time and when an eighth grade boy asked her to dance she did the right thing...she said "sorry, I've got to go" smiled, waved goodbye and ran away. Good girl!

Reily started lacrosse this summer. I'm still learning about the sport, but what I do know about it is that it's really rough. There's a lot of plowing into each other and hitting with the sticks. Things that I think should be illegal aren't and it makes me nervous to watch. Anyway, you can imagine my fear watching Reily's high school team scrimmage against South Western University's team. They were all so big! I was convinced that they were thinking how much fun it was going to be to beat up on a high school team. Our boys did come home with their fair share of bumps and bruises, but the college boys really took the time to teach and have fun with them. I thought I'd include a photo of Reily and the guy he was positioned against. This kid/man had to have been 6'3".

This past Saturday, my girlfriend called to ask if I wanted to go with her to Austin City Limits. Of course I did! We took the kids and went the first year we were here and it was fantastic. If you love live music it's for you. If you hate large crowds more than you love live music, it's best to stay home. For those of you who don't know about Austin City Limits, it's a three day concert at Zilker Park with eight stages and 130 bands. Everyone brings chairs and blankets and crashes in front of the different stages to see the musicians they want to see. In between all the stages there are activity centers for the little kids, food and drink stands and lots of merchandise for sale. Reily went with a friend and his family, so while I was dancing to Robert Plant at the AMD (Advanced Micros Devices) stage, Reily was rocking out to Beck at the AT&T stage. We both had a great time and we'll for sure go again as a family next year.

In Honor of the 2008 Olympics

2008-09-01T13:30:00.001-05:00

First Day Of School

2008-08-25T14:56:00.005-05:00

Okay, I first have to apologize for taking a LONG break from blogging. I have many excuses that would just bore you to read, so I'll give you only the biggest one....we've had to have our air conditioning repaired five times in the last six and a half weeks. I know Lisa will understand when I say that you cannot function without air conditioning in Texas during the summer! It's just too hot and humid here. So again, I apologize.

Now what's really important.... Reily started high school today and Jacklyn started middle school. Already! I opened an email from the school district titled "What will LISD look like in ten years?" After I read the first couple of sentences I realized that it didn't matter to me, both Reily and Jacklyn will have long graduated by then. From that thought came the next - only four more years with Reily before he will venture out into this crazy world mostly on his own. I'm nowhere near ready for that! And Jacklyn is going to be going to school dances...with boys! It doesn't help that she's in sixth grade, but looks like she's in eighth. Where has the time gone and was I really present for all of it because too much has happened too quickly for my brain to catch up. My mom always says she wishes she could put her grandchildren in a shrinking machine. I wish for that also, or to be able to have one more day with seven year old Reily or three year old Jacklyn and don't even get me started on both of them as babies. This transition has been hard on me, but I have a few more hours before they get home to get it together and just be happy for them.

There is good to this new beginning in our lives. Henry was a great middle school for Reily and will be just as good for Jacklyn. The campus is really nice and the teachers are wonderful. Jacklyn is in the choir program there and it is the best around. I've been told by many that Vista Ridge is a great high school. I went on a tour a couple of weeks ago and got lost, but it's really nice and there is so much opportunity there for Reily. I've said this many times.... the schools here are great. I am so grateful for that, even if I am sad today.

Warning!

2008-07-21T18:32:00.002-05:00

Don't buy these! If you do, you won't be able to stop yourself from eating them...all. Enough said, you've all been warned.

What I Know For Sure...

2008-07-10T15:13:00.016-05:00

is friendship can weather time and distance.

A few months ago, I posted with this same title and thought it would be a good theme to reflect on from time to time. The original post talked about my new friends in Texas. Now I want to write about old friends in Utah.

Last week we went to Utah and spent a week with family and old friends, most of which, we haven't seen in over two years. I can't say that I was surprised, but spending time with friends there felt as if we had never left. This validation made me so happy. As friends, we have gone through so much together- roommates in college(Lisa), children being born and going off to school together, moving into new homes, illness and deaths of loved ones.

My good friend, Shana, organized a picnic in the park so we could all get together with our kids. Not everyone could make it, but I was happy with the ones who did. It was so much fun to see everyone who could make it.

Chantel, Shana, Me, Jena and Jessica

Me and Lisa

I am also happy to say that Jacklyn also formed the same kind of friendship with the kids of these friends. It was great to see only a few minutes of "pre-teen boy/girl awkwardness" between her and her oldest friend Spencer before they fell right back into the comfort of old friends. Spencer was born a month before Jacklyn and was actually at my baby shower two weeks before she was born. He was truly her first friend. Jacklyn also got to see Jena's daughter Audrey who became her friend in preschool. She had so much fun with these old friends!

Jacklyn's best friend in Utah, Jazzi, was also with us at the park. We also spent time with her and her family a few days before we went to the park. Jazzi's mom, Jennifer, is one on my closest friends from Utah. She and her sister taught both Reily and Jacklyn in preschool, her husband, Jeff, worked with Ron, and her dad and Ron's dad both taught at Lehi High School together many years ago. Jacky and Jazzi have kept in touch really well since we moved, but actually getting to see each other was much better.

As I mentioned above, as friends we have gone through sad times. Unfortunately, now is one of those times. Jazzi's older sister, Jaquell, was recently diagnosed with a malignant brain tumor. While we were there, she went into the hospital for her second round of chemotherapy. Luckily for us, she went in a day later than planned, so we got to visit with her before she went into the hospital. It was so good to see Jaquell, hug her and tell her that I love her. She is in my thoughts and prayers and I hope everyone who reads this will add her to theirs as well. It was also great to spend hours talking with Jennifer while the girls painted their toes, watched a movie and talked with each other. I'm amazed at the strength this family has and feel blessed to call them my friends.

Jazzi, Jacky and Jaquell

Wisdom Teeth....Gone!

2008-06-23T15:40:00.007-05:00

On Friday Reily had all four of his wisdom teeth pulled. This is the third time Reily has been put under general anesthesia in his life and every time they have forgotten to take off the monitor connection stickers. I'm sure that's not what they are called, but the name I've given them accurately explains their purpose...I think. Anyway, Reily's first surgery was when he was only eight days old and they left them on because he was in ICU and still being monitored, but when we got him home, there was one they forgot to take off. Reily's second surgery was when he was six. This was a same day surgery and when we got home there was one of these "stickers" still on his chest. This time, they left on three "stickers" which really isn't a big deal, it's just kind of funny that this has happened to him all three times. I told Reily to pull them off before the strong pain meds wore off because it's like pulling a really strong band aid off- not horribly painful, but annoyingly painful. I came in to check on him and he had taken them off, but repositioned them...one over his belly button and one over each of his nipples, he was still really loopy and feeling good. After a few hours of talking way too much and then falling asleep during an incoherent sentence, Reily was in a lot of pain. He described it as having "the worst migraine in your jaw". Reily is now REALLY swollen and doesn't want a picture taken. Even though he's in pain, the nausea has gone away and he's up doing a lot more. I feel for him, but after spending the money on braces (twice!) it's something that had to be done.

Jacklyn's Graduation

2008-06-13T14:36:00.026-05:00

Last week, on June 5, 2008, Jacklyn had her graduation ceremony. It was a bitter- sweet experience for Ron and I as we were so happy for her accomplishment yet somewhat saddened by the reality of the moment...our baby is growing up! I did get a little emotional, but kept it under control. I didn't want to take away from Jacklyn's very happy milestone.

I was really impressed by the whole thing. The ceremony was really touching, each fifth grade teacher got up and spoke about their class before handing out the diplomas. Their words were all so loving and warm, you knew how much they really cared about these kids and what a great year they all had.

After the ceremony, there was a party for the graduates and their families. It was a great opportunity to take pictures and socialize. Both of Jacklyn's teachers told us how much they cared about Jacklyn and what a joy she was to have in class. We also talked with all of Jacklyn's friends and some of their parents which was fun to do.

When it was over, Ron and I took Jacklyn out to eat so we could have some alone time with her. It was neat to talk with her about her feelings and perspective. I think we all are in agreement that Rutledge Elementary School was a great place and experience for Jacklyn. Thank you "Ranchers"! Now it's on to middle school. Did I really just say that!?!

Price Girls Party '08

2008-06-03T14:52:00.013-05:00

Sorry for the long break between posts, Mom and Jennifer came for a visit last week and we were on the go for four days straight, then we were too tired on the fifth day to do much of anything and now we are all in recovery mode... at least I am. Here's a rundown of all the fun things we did --

Reily had his end of the year choir concert which was fabulous. The theme was the 60s, so the music was fun and the costumes and choreography were even more fun. Reily had a solo and did a fantastic job!

Jacklyn also had a performance. The fifth grade put on the play "Dig It". It was a really cute play with fun songs, dialog and costumes. Jacklyn did an excellent job as a skeleton. Both of these performances were even better experiences because Grandma and Aunt Jenn were there to watch!

We also took a tour of the Texas State Capitol which was very interesting. We learned a lot about Texas government and Texas history. Our tour guide was a really sweet lady with a very interesting accent... she helped to make our touring experience even better. The architecture and craftsmanship of the building are remarkable as are all the original furniture and fixtures throughout the building. It is definitely something we should do with all the guest who come to visit us here.

On Saturday we went to the Bob Bullock Texas State History Museum. We went through the whole thing, but could have stayed twice as long to read everything and watch all the video. There is so much to learn inside this museum! We saw The Star of Destiny in the Texas Spirit Theater. It is basically a 15-minute movie showing the drive, spirit and accomplishments of Texans throughout the state's history. The theater is equipped with cool lighting, wind machines, misters and seat zappers to make the experience really fun. Everyone jumped out of their seats at one point except me... my seat zapper wasn't working. The museum has a special exhibit that started just in time for us to see. It's called "Dallas Power $ Passion and Primetime TV". The exhibit is all about the TV show "Dallas" and it lightly touches on the shows influence on the way people perceive Texas and Texans. What made this exhibit interesting to us, and the only reason we went, is that Dad worked on the show. I had a warm feeling walking through the exhibit remembering my dad. I'm sure as I drive downtown and see the banner I won't think so much about the show...just my dad.

We shopped, ate, watched movies, and relaxed by the pool. The best part was the conversation and the laughter...lots of laughter! We are Prices after all so that is to be expected. My family likes to be silly and it isn't exclusive to the boys. I love you Mom and Jenn and miss you already!

I'm now going through my usual mourning phase, but I will see both my mom and my sister next month at our family reunion. I can't wait to see all my family and be silly together. Notice the title of this post? It's a hint to my mother and my sister...we need to do this again next year!

Crazy Texas Weather!

2008-05-16T11:45:00.011-05:00

Wednesday night and into early Thursday morning we weathered through our first really scary storm here in Texas. I know this comes with the territory as do earthquakes in California and blizzards in Utah, but this was crazy! First, we knew it was coming which is the same with Utah snow storms, but this packed a much bigger sense of urgency because there were TORNADOES and LARGE hail headed our way. It's strange to see cars driving 80 mph down your street hurrying to get home and have everything go silent...until it reaches you, and then it's very loud! During the silent time it was beautiful and neighbors were outside with me watching the sky put on the most beautiful light show I've ever seen. I felt like I was inside one of those electricity balls you see in novelty shops that produce little lightening bolts from your fingers when you touch it...it was amazing. The clouds only added to the beauty, but as the shape of the clouds changed, it wasn't so pretty anymore, it was frightening.

They say that in a tornado you want to be on the lowest level and away from windows, preferably in the middle of your house. For us, that is our downstairs guest bathroom, since the closet under our stairs (another good spot) is full of stuff I'm too lazy to put away. So, I put what I thought was important for the situation in the bathroom and we all waited in the bedroom next door. The satellite was out, so when we had power, the computer in that room was useful, we also had a good view of outside through the french doors. Jacklyn cried and blamed her fear of storms on her Grandma Price - "I can't help that I'm crying, I get it from my grandma!", Reily texted his friends non-stop, Ron sang Aerosmith, Ozzy and ACDC while watching the storm on-line knowing that his way of hitting the high notes would make Jacklyn giggle and I kept going to the window wanting to see it all. Eventually, the hail was too loud against the window for anyone to go near it and the winds and rain killed all visibility so I just waited and helped Ron distract Jacklyn. The worst had finally passed and Jacklyn was able to fall asleep, Reily fell asleep texting (literally) and Ron and I went to bed. There were two more storms that followed early in the morning, but the only one to be awakened by it was me. It was a long, eventful night!

We were lucky, only a few small dents to the house, although we haven't checked the roof yet, and broken tree limbs. There are places around town that still don't have power and their homes sustained much more damage. What's really crazy, is 24 hours later our kids had friends over swimming in the pool! Reily and his friend actually ate their dinner outside. I guess it's just the "crazy Texas weather" I've been told about.

I was too frazzled to take my own pictures so luckily I found good ones on-line. Knowing the outcome, I can now safely say that I wish you all were here to see it, because even these pictures don't do the sights of that night justice!

Saying Goodbye To Hockey

2008-05-09T11:50:00.013-05:00

When we first moved to Austin Reily joined the Round Rock Knights in-line hockey league. It has been a blast for the whole family and a sport Reily has come to really love. The owner of the rink has decided to close it down and fill the space with storage units. All the hockey families are sad about this and are trying to come up with a solution but nothing has worked out yet. So, with great sadness, I think it's safe to say that Reily had his LAST hockey game Sunday night.

What's really neat about the Knight's program is all the players have played on the same team with each other at least once, so there's really good sportsmanship between all the teams. There's also a really neat sense of community and friendship among all the families. Reily's first coach lost his home in a fire and watching all the hockey families come together to raise money, donate clothing and provide housing for his family was amazing. Seeing all the boys express their concern and friendship for their teammate who was involved in the horrible accident in our neighborhood last month has really impressed me. I've loved this group of people and this fun sport and I'm sad that it's ended. Reily has grown so much from his time playing hockey and I know he will take it with him into his next sport...lacrosse.

Jacklyn Sings!

2008-05-02T13:38:00.006-05:00

Is it rude to brag about your child or to tell the world how incredibly proud you are of them? Maybe it's not quite rude, but probably annoying. Prepare yourselves to be annoyed!

I am so proud of my daughter! Jacklyn's been taking singing lesson for about a year and a half and last night was her first recital. She was FANTASTIC! There were seven kids who sang and one guitar solo. Jacklyn was so scared to get up on the stage and sing that I thought she was going to either cry or pass out. When it was her turn to sing she couldn't hide her fear from the audience so they gave her a very generous pre-performance applause. She started the song off a little shaky, but sang it beautifully! All the kids who sang were in high school except for Jacklyn and one other girl who are both eleven. So many people told us how great they thought she was which I appreciate because it will help give her the confidence to continue. To me, there's nothing more frightening than getting up if front of a crowd and singing by yourself and my daughter did just that! I've listened to her performance so many times. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do!

Jacklyn singing "Don't Know Why" by Norah Jones

What I Know For Sure

2008-04-29T13:33:00.009-05:00

Oprah writes and talks about "What I know for sure". She's covered all different subjects from her certainties about love to growing old. One thing I know for sure is the people in Texas are the nicest people! I know.....all the places I haven't been and all the people I haven't met... Okay, I guess it reads better if I say "In my life, so far, I know for sure that the people in Texas, that I've met, are the nicest people there are... in my experience." But seriously, I love the people here! Whether it's the corky "Keep Austin weird" people, the people you can tell were raised in the south because they're so polite, or all the people who have moved here from other states and countries and have brought part of those places with them. I love all the friends I've made here and am so grateful to have them in my life. We've had our trials here and my new friends have always been there for me and my family. The first friend I made here was Robin. She is a great representation of "Texas niceness". She and her daughter, Shelby, started a mother/daughter book club and invited Jacklyn and I to join. I've included a photo of all but one of the moms in the club. Jacklyn took the picture in "nightshot" so it looks like we have a spotlight on us. Anyway, I have other great new friends that aren't in this group that I don't have a photo of, but they are just as wonderful. And all my old friends, that are just as nice as people from Texas, are always in my heart. I just love the people here and had to share! I'm also thinking the title of this post will be a recurring one.....

Trina, Me, Kim, Ana and Robin

Tragedy Close To Home

2008-04-22T12:24:00.008-05:00

Because this blog is now my journal, I feel like I have to post about the recent tragedy we're facing. I'm worried that I won't have the right words for Reily. I can see his confusion and sorrow and I want to not only help him through that, but help him to learn from all of it. He's growing up so fast and this whole thing has made it seem even faster...

This weekend there was a car accident here in our neighborhood. Four teenagers were in a speeding car that lost control and crashed into a rock wall. Two died instantly, one is in critical condition and the driver is okay. The driver is a boy Reily plays hockey with. He's only 15. After the accident, he ran away so he's been arrested on three counts of failure to stop and render aid. I'm sure more charges will come. There is so much talk and speculation of what happened even to the point of fighting. Why did this boy run away? Did he leave his friends to die? Was he just scared and didn't know what else to do? People want to place blame and can't agree where it should lie. The adults, kids or just the kid driving? It's gotten kind of ugly! (Our homeowners association is even arguing over how to fix the wall and how long mourners should be able to write on the part of the wall still standing!) Needless to say, Reily is pretty freaked out. He sees everything wrong that happened that night, but he isn't sure how he should feel or does feel. I've told Reily that all the boys made bad choices that night, parents made bad choices that night, and the neighbor who gave the boys his car keys made a bad choice that night. We've talked a lot about how dangerous driving is and that it needs to always be taken seriously. I've told him that if I don't let him do things with friends sometimes it's because of my fear that something like this could happen. I've explained to him that by the time your teenage years are over you've lived such a tiny portion of your life that it isn't worth ruining the rest of it for a bad choice. I've also told him that I hope Mikey's family and friends will love him and be there for him. He's going to live with this the rest of his life and I'm sure he will be haunted by it. Reily's home from school today with a hurt ankle and a cold. It's come at a good time. He's needing to talk about all of this and I'd rather it be here at home with me than at school. In less than six months, Reily gets his learner's permit and we'll start teaching him how to drive. I feel such a huge responsibility in teaching a child to drive! I think this horrible accident has already started to teach him. I hope he learns not only the laws of driving, but his responsibility being a driver and a passenger. The accident happened very close to our house so we drive by it at least four times a day. The news is there, police are there and people are there placing flowers, notes and religious items. It's hard to not think about it constantly. I hope I handle this with Reily the best way possible...wish me luck!

"Live Music Capital of the World"

2008-04-20T13:57:00.004-05:00

Austin is called the "live music capital of the world" because there are more live music venues per capita than such music hotbeds as Nashville, Memphis, Los Angeles, Las Vegas, and New York City. I've thought about this a lot lately. I was feeling a little sad that we hadn't ventured out more into this HUGE state we now call home. There's so much to see and do here in Texas and I feel like we've done very little of it. Then, as they started to release the lineup for this years Austin City Limits, it hit me that we've really done a lot in Texas, it's just been here in Austin. We have greatly taken advantage of living in the "live music capital of the world"! We've lived here almost two years, and in that time, we've seen Rob Thomas, Jewel, The Rippingtons, John Mayer, Los Lonely Boys, Van Morrison, Corinne Bailey Rae, Aerosmith, Damian Rice, Fiona Apple, Boney James, Norah Jones, Motley Crue, Eric Clapton, Acoustic Alchemy, and Tower of Power. Ron and Jacklyn saw Aly and AJ and Reily went to Projekt Revolution and saw Linkin Park and My Chemical Romance. Along with all of these concerts, we've seen Altar Boys, Philobolus, STOMP, Man of La Mancha, Pirates of Penzantz, Tuna Vegas, Mama Mia, The Lion King, and The Mikado. I do want to see the rest of Texas, but there's this big roadblock keeping me from doing it... Austin! The music and musicals keep coming and it's hard to not take advantage of it. We love living here in the "live music capital of the world" and hope to be here for many years to come.

Sweepstakes!

2008-04-10T18:55:00.005-05:00

The Henry Middle School boys choir took sweepstakes at the UIL sight reading competition yesterday. They received perfect scores from all the judges. This is the first year the boys choir has done this, so as you can imagine, the choir director was really excited as were all the boys! Unfortunately, it isn't an event parents can attend, so I don't have any pictures. We will get a CD of their singing, which will be great. I'm proud of Reily and this group of boys. I've watched them work really hard this year and I feel they deserved this win. I'm sure they will all feel a sense of pride every time they see their trophy in the school's display case. I know I will. Way to go Hawks!

Jacklyn's New Smile

2008-04-07T19:36:00.006-05:00

I'm writing this post to let everyone know that Jacklyn got her permanent crown put on this afternoon. We've waited months for this to happen and today was the day! We've had three other appointments to do this and each time we've had to wait for her gums to heal more. Jacklyn has written on the calendar "permanent crown" with a big smiley face on each appointment date only to come home and write "it didn't happen" with a sad face. Today the smiley face prevailed! With this victory comes a mouth guard that will allow her to participate in PE, recess, tennis and all the other physical activities of an eleven year old girl. She will continue to have cosmetic work done to get the teeth looking just right, but the hard part seems to be behind us. It's hard to believe that her accident was on December 1st...just over eighteen weeks ago. She has been so brave through all the procedures and exams and I will always admire her for it. The other person I will always admire because of this experience is Jacklyn's dentist, Dr. Lowery. She wasn't our regular dentist, she was our friend's dentist. She made room for Jacklyn during her busy day and won us over immediately. She's been so gentle and kind. Whenever I'd leave the room during a procedure I'd return to find her holding Jacklyn's hand in my absence. She's a mother and she brings that part of herself to her practice. I can't even begin to say how much I've appreciated that. Jacklyn has trusted her completely through all of this and that has made all the difference. We know that there's a chance more painful procedures lie ahead, but with doctor Lowery by our side, we can get through it. Today, before we left, I asked if I could take her picture with Jacklyn for my blog and she was so excited to do so. After the picture, Jacklyn thanked her and gave her a hug as always. As Dr. Lowery was hugging Jacklyn she told her that she was now family to her. Thank you doctor Lowery!

The Other Van Gogh In The Family

2008-03-29T15:49:00.006-05:00

Only a few days after we received the letter informing us of Jacklyn's art exhibit, we received a letter inviting us to the Leander ISD art exhibit for secondary schools. Reily was one of the artists from Henry Middle School to be showcased. The exhibit was held today at Vista Ridge High School. There were three high schools and six middle schools represented, so there was a lot of art being displayed. There were many different mediums used, everything from pencil sketches to computer-generated art. I was truly impressed by all the wonderful artwork I saw. Reily's art was a pastel piece of a plane flying into the horizon over the ocean. I love it! Notice the blue streaks across the ocean. The plane must be a jet and it's flying really fast and really close to the water. That's what I see. Reily was kind of shy about it and didn't say much, he just walked around and looked at all the other pieces. I'll have to ask him if I'm correct in my observation. Reily's art teacher, Ms. Winston, was there and it was great to talk with her about Reily and the art program at the school. She told us she loves Reily...and who wouldn't! It was great for Jacklyn to be able to talk with Ms. Winston as well, because she will be joining the art club at Henry Middle School next year. I am so proud of Reily and love that he has this wonderful talent!

"Young At Art"

2008-03-26T09:39:00.007-05:00

Jacklyn's artwork is being displayed in the Leander ISD elementary art show called "Young At Art". Each elementary school in the district chose artwork from about ten students to display. The artwork is being displayed at the Cedar Park Police Station until Saturday. Last night they held the opening ceremony which gave us the opportunity to see all the art before everyone else and talk with the art teachers. Jacklyn's art that was chosen was a fish drawing and clay sculpture of the fish. The drawing was on display with a photo of the sculpture. Her art teacher, Ms. Kellerman, was there and told us how much she enjoys teaching Jacklyn. Jacklyn did a fantastic job and we are so proud of her!

Easter Sunday And Birthday Monday

2008-03-24T11:52:00.007-05:00

I was a little sad this Easter thinking about how the juvenile magic is now gone from the holiday for us. It's been years since we've had an Easter Bunny photo and only Jacklyn wants to dye eggs. There's not even a twinkle of surprise in their eyes when they produce the contents of their baskets to Ron and I on the not- so -early -because- we're- old Easter morning...heavy sigh. On the other hand, what made me so happy this Easter was the fact that my children are older. They're now old enough to really appreciate the deeper magic and meaning of the holiday. Easter serves as such a wonderful reminder of life and rebirth. Watching the colors come back to the backdrops we live in, hearing all the critters coming back to join us and feeling the sun intensify her fertilizing rays are all things that renew not only the place I live in, but they renew my soul. It's something that doesn't ever fail to happen and I am so grateful for that!

Today is my brother's birthday. Today Jim is 39. As most of you know, Jim was diagnosed with cancer back in November. He quickly had surgery to remove the tumor and waited. We all waited through the winter for his scans and tests that would tell us if the cancer had come back. Two weeks ago the day finally came for those scans and tests...cancer free! The feelings of rebirth/renewal/Easter/spring I've had this year have been so great because of Jim. The sights, smells and sounds at this time of year are wonderful, but my brother has served to remind me why it all really matters. How appropriate that his birthday fell the day after Easter! I love you Jim and Happy Birthday!

So, I don't have pictures with the Easter Bunny, or even pictures of Jacklyn dying her eggs. All I have are pictures of the little floral centerpieces I made for the table. However, even though I don't have pictures to show it, my children are old enough to truly understand the blessings of Easter and have paused this year to take in the news of their uncle along with the birds, flowers and warm Texas sun.

Our Visit With Jennifer

2008-03-15T14:14:00.016-05:00

This has been such a great week! My sister, Jennifer, came to visit us. While it wasn't nearly long enough, we packed in quite a bit of fun while she was here. We went to San Antonio to visit the Alamo and the River Walk. The weather was beautiful, the food was great and the sights were wonderful. This was my second time visiting the Alamo and I was in as much awe as the first time. Only part of the Alamo is still there and it sits in the middle of downtown San Antonio which is somewhat misleading. You expect something much bigger for what took place there, but as soon as you enter the church you are filled with the enormity of it all. As hard as I try to wrap my mind around it all, I can only imagine so much. For those of you who are interested here's the web site http://www.thealamo.org/. I think the best part for Reily and Jacklyn was their Aunt Jenn buying all three of them cap guns in the gift shop. They had their own battles all throughout the house for the rest of Jenn's stay. It was a lot of fun for Ron and I to watch these battles!

Here's a picture of the front of the church and part of the beautiful grounds.

The River Walk was just as wonderful. We ate lunch there (BBQ of course) and took the boat tour. While not as dramatic as the Alamo, the story of the River Walk is very interesting. It is so pretty there and we had a great time!

We also saw some of the sights here in Austin. We walked around the state capitol, drove down 6th Street, drove over the Pennybacker Bridge and ate lots of yummy Mexican food. We all had the best time and the sadness I feel missing my sister is worth all the great memories we now have. We love you Jenn and please come back soon!

FIRE!

2008-03-03T19:45:00.007-06:00

I'm not kidding! This afternoon I was on my computer (downstairs) when Jacky and her friend Maddy run into the room yelling "Reily's computer is on fire". I asked them if they were kidding because I thought they were. I run upstairs as quickly as I can and sure enough, Reily's computer tower is on fire! The computer has see-through plastic on one side so you can see all the components light up with a really cool blue light. It was lit up, but it wasn't blue! I could see a fire had started in two different places. One on the bottom and one on the top. Ron could tell you what exactly was on fire, but to me, it's only the bottom and the top. As Jacky and Maddy are downstairs trying to find the fire extinguisher the fire is getting bigger inside the computer as I am frantically trying to unplug everything. The metal box is also getting really hot! I realize that there isn't enough time for the fire extinguisher because things are starting to melt and flames are starting to find their way out of the tower. I was scared that the carpet and desk would catch on fire. I had a sweatshirt on, so I pulled the sleeves over my hands and pulled the computer into the bathroom. By the time I got there, the smoke alarm was blaring! I got the computer into the tub, pulled the fabric shower curtain down and turned the water on. The bottom fire went out easily, but the top one had melted the plastic and shot up into the air. I screamed, and pushed the computer over. The tub continued to fill with water and the fire was out. Meanwhile, Maddy's mom had called (no one answered) and was outside my front door listening to the smoke alarm. She must have been scared to death! I called a few hours later to see if Maddy was okay because as soon as they left the house, Jacky broke down in tears. Maddy was fine and her mom said she thought it was all rather exciting...thank goodness! Other than a charred computer, a scratched and chipped tub, an awful smell and a daughter that is sure to have nightmares tonight we are all okay. I can't stop thinking about what could have happened under so many different circumstances.

We moved the computer to the backyard to get the smell out of the house. It still smells so bad!

"I'm Fine"

2008-02-29T09:44:00.003-06:00

As most of you know, Jacklyn had an accident on December first. She was rollerblading and fell on her face. She broke her left wrist and her two front teeth (top). Not only were the teeth broken, they were pushed out of place. Her wrist healed quickly, but her teeth and gums have been another story. Over the last twelve weeks, she's had oral surgery, two gingivectomies, a root canal and cosmetic work done on her teeth. Gum surgeries, including grafts, are what she has to look forward to in March. As my heart continues to break for her, she simply says "I'm fine". When I ask her if she needs help cutting her food..."I'm Fine". When I ask her if she's worried about taking spring pictures at school..."I'm fine". I truly believe that children are so much stronger than adults...at least this child is stronger than this adult. When I uploaded this picture onto the computer I thought it showed Jacklyn's strong spirit during a very difficult time... giving the peace sign and showing me that she's fine.

Happy Valentine's Day!

2008-02-14T12:24:00.007-06:00

I know there are some people who really don't like Valentine's day. Some people resent being told to show their love to others, or they question the authenticity of the day. I'm not one of those people. I love Valentine's day. I wish I was always happy and full of love to give, but I'm not. Sometimes I'm tired and sometimes I'm cranky. I'm grateful for holidays that nudge me to show my family how much I love them because I'm far from perfect in the ways of love. I don't assume that my family is showing me love on this day because they have to, I know that like me, they might need some nudging as well. Why not bask in the love being poured onto you in the form of flowers, cards, gifts or candy...I do. I guess what I'm truly basking in is my fortune in having a valentine and two sweet children that are also my valentines. In fact, as I'm writing this I've just found one of Jacklyn's Fun Dip valentines that she took to school today for her classmates. She left it by the computer for Ron to find. It says "To: Daddy Boo-Boo Love: Bug". A day dedicated to love...so sweet!

For fun, I've included a valentine meme. Enjoy!

Who is your man? Ron (the word "man" cracks me up!)

How long have you been together? 18 years together, 17 years married.

How old is your man? 44

Who eats more? Ron, unless it's candy.

Who said "I love you first? Me

Who sings better? Ron...he's got a great singing voice!

Who's Older? Ron by 8 years.

Who's smarter? Ron

Who's temper is worse? If we're in the car, Ron. I f it has to do with clothes being left on the floor, me.

Who does the laundry? Me

Who does the dishes? At home, me. If we're a guest somewhere, Ron.

Who's feet are bigger? Ron's

Who's better with the computer? Me. Just kidding...Ron!

Who mows the lawn? Reily

Who pays the bills? Me

Who cooks dinner? I usually cook dinner and Ron cooks breakfast on weekends.

Who drives when you are together? Ron

Who pays when you go out to dinner? Ron

Who's the most stubborn? Me

Who is the first one to admit when they're wrong? We're pretty even.

Who's parents do you see more? Now that we live so far away it's even. We use to live close to my parents.

Who named your dog? No dog.

Who kissed who first? Ron kissed me first.

Who asked who out? Ron asked me out.

What did you do on a real date? What's a real date?

Who's more sensitive? Me

Who's taller? Ron

Who has more friends? Me

Who has more siblings? Me

Who wears the pants in the relationship? We both do.

Middle School All Region Choir Concert

2008-02-10T13:31:00.001-06:00

After all his hard work, Reily auditioned and made it into the region choir. Yesterday was the concert and it was amazing! There were 242 seventh and eighth grade kids in the choirs from 23 middle schools. There was a seventh grade treble choir, a seveth/eighth grade tenor/bass choir and an eighth grade treble choir. The kids all arrived at the performing arts center and practiced for about five hours. Because they're all from different schools, it was the first time they had sung together and it was with a director they didn't know. Reily's director even rearranged some of their music. Each choir sang four songs and I loved them all. I had to keep reminding myself that they were middle school kids. The songs they sang and the way they sang them were way beyond their years. The boys choir was my favorite and not just because Reily was in it. They were the best. The songs they sang were so good and even though their choir was much smaller than the others, they projected the best. It was a wonderful experience for Reily and he learned so much. What a great day! Here are some photos and hopefully with Ron's help I can post some video soon.

The kids from Henry (Reily's school)

Reily and Mr. Wiley (his director at school)

Reily and Andie

Reily and Marvin

Reily can sing!

2008-01-24T09:50:00.001-06:00

I don't know why I'm surprised by this. My husband does come from a very musically gifted family. I guess I'm just so happy to see Reily taking advantage of it. This year, Reily decided to join the school choir. Mostly because it would help him earn the points he needs to stay active in the National Juniors Honor Society and because there are a lot of cute girls in choir. At the beginning of the year his choir director urged him to try out for the varsity choir. He practiced for a few weeks and made it. He is now preparing to try out for the regional choir. He's working on four songs that he will have to sing by himself for a panel of judges...one of them is in Latin! What prompted me to post about all of this is late last night Reily asked his dad to help him practice his songs. He's been practicing a lot at school, but not much at home. My first impression was how good Reily could sing. He has a really nice voice. My second impression came as Reily and Ron were singing together. My husband has passed on a wonderful thing to our son...musical talent. I am so grateful for this. I think singing has not only been a source of fun for Reily, it has also been something that has given him a lot of confidence. As I watched and listened to the two of them, I imagined Reily looking and sounding a lot like his Dad did at that age. They sounded so good together and watching them together was just as sweet.

Here are pictures from Reily's last choir concert. It was a Christmas concert they held last month. This is only the 7th and 8th grade choir students. If you add in the 6th grade, there are over 300 kids in our middle school choir. These kids are fantastic!

This is the boys varsity choir. Reily is standing in the second row first one on the right.

Mexico

2008-01-15T19:55:00.000-06:00

I know this is old news, but I thought it would be fun to share a few details maybe you didn't already know and some great photos. So, here you go ---

This year for Thanksgiving we went to Cancun, Mexico. Our good friends, the Van Holtens, met us there from Utah. It was so good to see Jake, Alicia and their kids again. We had a great time! Ron went scuba diving for the first time and loved it! We all went snorkeling in beautiful Xel Ha. Ron, Reily and Jacklyn swam with the dolphins. Ron and Reily had done this before, but it was a first for Jacklyn. We also got to see Chitzinitza which was amazing. Jacklyn's birthday fell on Thanksgiving this year so that added some extra fun to our trip. We had warm sun, good food, beautiful scenery and good friends. It was a wonderful vacation!

Xel Ha

Jacklyn on her birthday

Reily at the hotel

Chitzinitza

Reily and Treston

Jayden, Jacklyn and Taja

Hello and Welcome

2008-01-15T16:25:00.000-06:00

My sister in law Lisa has introduced me to the the blogging world. My goal is not only to keep friends and family updated on our family, but to one day have a blog as neat as hers! I'm sure that I'll be taking ideas from her blog. The first idea I'm going to take from Lisa is "100 things about me". I though that this would be a good way to start this whole process.

100 Things About Me

I was born in Anaheim, California.
I was adopted at the age of five.
I'm number five of six children.
I took ballet lessons for a very long time.
I'm scared of heights.
My favorite movie has been the Wizard of Oz for as long as I can remember.
My first doll was named "Pinky"... I still have her.
I HATE peas.
We always had ice cream in our freezer growing up.
My favorite was Rocky Road.
I was on the news once in elementary school for building a sand castle.
I don't have a middle name.
I wish I had a middle name.
My brother, Jim, pulled out my first tooth.
I LOVE to read.
One time I hugged the neighbor when he came home from work thinking it was my dad.
My birthday sometimes falls on Father's Day...I love that.
My birthday is also my brother Jason's anniversary ...I love that too.
My birthday is also my nephew Trevor's birthday...I love that as well.
I think that because I'm adopted I love that my birthday is so connected with my family.
I love Disneyland.
My sister, Jennifer, has always been my best friend and always will be.
We were adopted together.
We are only 14 months apart.
My mom dressed us like twins.
When we were young she had to have eye surgery...I still remember how she smelled when she came home from the hospital.
My brother, Jason, taught me how to play football, soccer, baseball and wrestle.
My dad had a co-worker pretend to be JR (from "Dallas") every time I talked to him at work.
This went on for 5+ years before he told me the truth.
I'm gullible.
My family took a road trip across the US when I was seven.
I get car sick.
Every summer growing up we camped at Leo Carrillo state beach.
I LOVE the beach.
As a child, my dad would take us to my Grandma and Grandpa Price's house on his way to work and pick us up after.
My Grandpa would take us to Thrifty's for Ice cream...triple scoop!
My grandma had a drawer full of candy that she let us eat out of. When she ran out, she'd give us cough drops.
I didn't get to know my grandmother on my mom's side until I went to college. I feel bad about this.
I miss my grandparents.
I was an aunt at 9...a month shy of 10.
I have 22 nieces and nephews.
I'm a great aunt...I mean the usually old kind...although, I think I do a pretty good job.
I met my husband, Ron, at a dance club. He was the DJ.
My favorite holiday is Thanksgiving.
I've been married for 17 years.
The day we were married it was ten degrees below zero!
My sister and I beat a guy up in high school...he was trying to fight our brother.
I wish I could play the guitar.
I always wanted to be a mom when I grew up...nothing else.
I love being a mom!!!
I've broken two bones. A finger on my left hand and a toe on my right foot.
I've always thought buying boy clothes is as much fun as buying girl clothes.
I love Target.
I hate when people add corn to recipes. I only like it by itself...not even in soup.
I have all the letters my brothers wrote me while they were on their missions.
All three of them gave me the talk about boys...about a year apart and in order from oldest to youngest.
I'm glad my daughter has an older brother.
My dad and I would sneak to Red Robin for "mud pie" after ballet.
I'm a huge worrier...to a fault.
I like to watch tennis.
My husband wishes I would make bread like my mother and home-made jam.
I love to karaoke.
I fold my laundry as I pull it out of the dryer.
I love the smell of my mom's laundry, but even though I use the same products mine doesn't smell quite as good.
I think the dishwasher is for sanitizing not getting the food off of dishes.
I don't like salt on popcorn.
I use to stutter when I was little.
I love living in Austin.
I hated Utah winters.
I miss my family and friends.
I've been trying since 1989 to find donuts as good as Blinkies...no luck.
I love going to concerts.
I love to go hiking.
We have a lizard that lives in our backyard...his name is Godzilla. He's our only pet.
I walked in on someone robbing our house when I was in fifth grade.
I grew up with a pool in my backyard and love that my kids have one now .
I can remember accidentally swimming without my "floaties", but thinking I still couldn't swim.
I'm addicted to Animal Planet.
Even though I know it's bad for the environment, I can't stop cleaning with bleach.
I love sushi.
I haven't eaten red meat in seven years.
If I don't exercise I'm cranky...sorry Ron, Reily and Jacklyn.
I love music from the 70s.
I love dressing up for Halloween.
I love going on vacation to Mexico.
I always felt close to my dad....I miss him and still need him.
I've been blessed with great friends- many that I've had since early childhood.
I like Tapioca pudding better hot than cold.
My favorite cereal is Lucky Charms.
My favorite Christmas song is "O Holy Night".
Growing up, every Tuesday was library day...I love that my mom did that!
As soon as my kids could write their names I took them to get their own library cards. Again, thank you mom!
I always feel like my family is there for me.
I'm happy that my son is taller than me, yet I'm really sad at the same time.
My daughter has a beautiful singing voice...thank you Halversen's. I wish I could sing like her.
I played the piano for two years. I didn't like it.
My husband has the most wonderful grandmother and luckily I can call her mine as well.
I love that my kids have a great grandmother that they feel so close to.
I drink way too much diet coke!
I love Abazaba candy bars!